Join us September 24 to October 4, 2026, when over 100,000 film lovers in over 500 cities across six continents gather in Cinemas, Museums, Libraries and Universities for one purpose...to view and vote on the Finalists' Films in the 29th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival.

MANHATTAN SHORT's 2026 OSCAR QUALIFYING SCREENINGS

MANHATTAN SHORT LOVES OSCAR! Finalists will be part of the MANHATTTAN SHORT Award Qualifying Screenings. This means all selected films will screen for a full week at a cinema in the Bay Area of San Francisco. This run allows EVERY FILM SELECTED in MANHATTAN SHORT to enter the Oscars the following year.

MANHATTAN SHORT FILMS HAVE BEEN TO THE OSCARS BEFORE! Many past Finalists from MANHATTAN SHORT have been nominated for an Oscar. In 2024 from our ten selected finalist, FOUR Films were Oscar Short-Listed and TWO Films Oscar Nominated, including the eventual winner for 'Live Action Short" "I'm Not a Robot". Our audiences and cinemas love nothing more than seeing a film they voted for at MANHATTAN SHORT at the Oscars. Once a nominee is announced, our partnering cinemas and loyal audiences champion those films and filmmakers through social media all the way to the podium! In the last five years at least one film from the MANHATTAN SHORT's Award Qualifying Screenings has gone on to be nominated and even win the Oscar.

"This is the real deal!. The communication is outstanding, the selected films are top-notch, and the opportunity to screen your short in 500 venues to over 100,000 people is just mind-blowing. And we were thrilled to be part of this with "I'm Not a Robot" and we hope all the audiences love the films as much as we do. Huge thanks Nick!". Academy Member and Oscar Winning Producer TRENT @ Oak Street Pictures.

Check Rules by A.M.P.A.S.

London Flair’s Catherine Lyn Scott Appointed Consultant for MANHATTAN SHORT

MANHATTAN SHORT has appointed London Flair PR founder Catherine Lyn Scott as a film selection consultant. Scott, whose publicity campaigns have helped secure dozens of Academy Award and BAFTA nominations and wins for short films, worked alongside MANHATTAN SHORT founder Nicholas Mason in selecting the finalists of 2026 and will do so for years to come. The collaboration brings together two longtime champions of short-form cinema with a shared commitment to discovering exceptional filmmaking talent from around the world.

"This collaboration is about recognizing exceptional filmmaking and helping outstanding short films gain the international exposure they deserve," said Scott. "Short films are one of cinema's most exciting art forms, and I'm delighted to be working alongside Nicholas Mason to help identify the very best talent from around the world while giving filmmakers the opportunity to have their work experienced by audiences on the big screen."

Nicholas Mason said the pair's shared passion for short films made the collaboration a natural fit.

"Whenever I see a short come into my festival that has Oscar potential, the first thing I do is get on the phone to Catherine. We talk at least once a week about short films, and we both share such a passion for the medium that our conversations are electric."

"What I know is this: if you're a filmmaker with a short film, and Catherine and I are discussing it and loving it, you've arrived in a pretty good place. Our mission is to discover extraordinary films, champion filmmakers and give them the best possible opportunity to reach audiences around the world."